Trapped in Time

1/1/2000

Sunrise Big Cypress.

What I wouldn’t give to have that experience again.

(via lastfairdeal)

The largest millenium party in the world (in paid attendance) and quite possibly one of the greatest rock concerts ever performed.  I’m not even sure if playing there again would be a good idea given the epic nature of this show.

Per the Wikipedia article:

Big Cypress was the fifth and largest of seven weekend-long festivals hosted by the rock band Phish. The event took place on the eve of the millennium - December 30 and 31, 1999, at the Big Cypress Indian Reservation near the Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida. 85,000 people attended, making it the largest Millennium Eve concert on earth that night, surpassing shows by Sting, Barbra Streisand, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, The Eagles, Eminem, Jimmy Buffett, KISS, Metallica, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Elton John.

In a 2000 cover story for Entertainment Weekly, three of the four Phish members declared Big Cypress to be the greatest Phish concert ever. It was also voted as the most popular Phish show ever by fans in the final volume of The Pharmer’s Almanac. It was also the longest Phish concert ever, culminating in a seven-and-a-half hour second set from midnight on New Year’s Eve to sunrise New Year’s Day . Phish was the only band at the event, performing five sets of music (nearly sixteen hours) over two nights. As fans left the concert area at sunrise, The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” played over the PA speakers.

I decided I was just going to take it easy for New Year’s and stay in my hometown a couple more days. The past four NYEs I’ve done concerts and I really didn’t want to do an all-you-can-drink in the city. In all likelihood I’ll be traveling to see Phish next NYE, so I didn’t do much of anything last night and was pretty content.

My first day of 2009 was less than pleasant though as I was awoken to my brother’s dog (who I love like my own) vomiting ALL over me. I didn’t realize a six pound animal could even hold that much in its stomach.

I really hope this isn’t a sign of things to come for me this year… it would be all too 2008, right?

Anyway, after a thorough scrubbing in the shower and some clean sheets, I’m going back to bed and will wake up to start the year on a less smelly, chunky note.

The Rolling Stones - “Shine A Light”

One more song from me in ‘08.  I hope 2009 shines some light on all of you.

Cat Stevens - The Wind

“Experts say it is the most ambitious government effort nationwide to harness electronic data for public-health goals like monitoring disease frequency, cancer screening and substance abuse. It follows the Bloomberg administration’s aggressive focus on everyday health concerns — which has included startling anti-smoking advertisements in subways and requirements that chain restaurants post calorie counts — and frequent use of statistics to drive public policy on crime, homelessness and other issues.

And echoing the city’s cash-incentive experiments in the school system, the health department will soon start offering doctors bonuses of perhaps $100 for each patient who hits specified targets like controlling blood pressure or cholesterol, up to $20,000 for each doctor.

In April, the city will begin sending participating doctors report cards on how their preventive efforts compare to their peers’ (only the individual doctor being rated will be named, and the rankings will not be public). A prototype was used in 2007 to send electronic messages warning physicians in the Bronx of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. And the city is currently using the system to track the spread of flu infection in New York City in real time — a much more accurate gauge, doctors say, than a Web tool being developed by Google.” - New York Times

Read the entire article, it’s a very innovative use of IT through a private network to create benefits for the entire community and while improving government efforts to provide better, more responsive healthcare.  I’m interested to see if NYC’s model proves successful enough to be adopted by other cities, or even on a national basis.  There are real improvements that patients and doctors alike can receive through an electronic healthcare system.

Dr. Dog - “The Breeze”

Do you feel like you’re stuck in time?
Forever waiting on that line
If nothing ever moves
Put that needle to the groove
And sing

(via amwelles)

1.62 = Golden Ratio.  Check it.

The past couple years I’ve tried to compile lists of my favorite releases from the year.  I’m not the type of person who listens to singles, so I prefer albums that are strong start to finish.  All of these really worked for me this past year (and are proof to the contrary for all the igorant people who say great new music isn’t still being made).  Look for my list of best live releases tomorrow.

1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. Lindstrøm - Where You Go I Go Too
3. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
4. Quantic - Flowering Inferno (Death Of The Revolution)
5. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
6. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
7. Mogwai - The Hawk Is Howling
8. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
9. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
10. David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
11. The Black Keys - Attack & Release
12. Portishead - Third
13. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
14. Gnarls Barkley - Odd Couple
15. The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale
16. She & Him - Volume One
17. Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
18. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
19. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
20. Ryan Adams - Cardinology
21. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
22. Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
23. Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation
24. Beach House - Devotion
25. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue

Honorable Mention (still definitely worth checking out)

The Mae Shi - HLLLYH
Flight Of The Conchords - Flight Of The Conchords
Beck - Modern Guilt
Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely
Magnetic Fields - Distortion
JJ Grey & Mofro - Orange Blossoms
Lotus - Hammerstrike
Bonnie Prince Billy - Lie Down In The Light
Mates of State - Re-arrange Us
Calexico - Carried To Dust
Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s - Animal/Not Animal
Dr. Dog - Fate

Muddy Waters - “Long Distance Call”

You say you love me darlin,
Please, call me on the phone sometime.
You say you love me darlin,
Please, call me on the phone sometime.
When I hear your voice,
Ease my worried mind.

One of these days,
I’m gonna show you how nice a man can be.
One of these days,
I’m gonna show you just how nice a man can be.
I’m gonna buy you a brand, new Cadillac,
If you only speak some good words about me.

Hear my phone ringin,
Sound like a long distance call.
Hear my phone keep ringin,
Sound like a long distance call.
When I picked up my receiver,
The party said another mule kickin in your stall.

Fuck yeah for the blues.

michaelikesit:

Sometimes when I have a long layover, I’ll sit in a different boarding area. A part of me would love to hop on a random flight and start over. Right now I’m in the boarding area for a Seattle flight.

I’ve done this before and always enjoyed putting myself in the frame of mind of going somewhere completely different than my intended destination (i.e. home).  I wonder how empowering it would be to just say fuck it and hop on a flight to the other side of the country, or some remote corner and see what happens.